I don’t know about you, but when I travel or go to craft shows, I always end up buying blank note cards.

Here are some of my greeting card collection.

It’s not that I “need” them… And I make greeting cards for a living, so you know I’ve got plenty! It’s just when I see pretty cards, I can’t help myself 😀

I’ve got several blank note cards in my shop and wanted to share how you can enjoy them!

1. You’re ready for any special occasions that sneak up on you.

Because they’re not meant for any specific occasions, you can use them for pretty much everything: birthdays, wedding, sympathy, congratulations, thinking of you, I love you, I’m sorry, baby shower, going away… You name it, it’s gonna do the job.

For example, maybe you’re gonna see a friend for lunch and remember her birthday is in 3 days. You can grab a blank card like this Eat a Rainbow card from your stash and turn it into a birthday card. Perfect for a summer birthday! (And bonus points if she’s a veggie gardener.)

2. You’ve got a small (and inexpensive) artwork to enjoy.

I live in a small apartment and don’t have much wall space. So when I buy blank cards what I often end up doing is hanging them up as an artwork.

Because they’re small and less expensive than buying an actual art print, I can buy and hang up more pieces, and it’s easier to switch them up as I get more cards!

(Currently, I have 10 cards posted at my desk, and they all give me the visual inspirations when I do my work. )

When was the last time you sent someone a handwritten note? We’re so used to emailing and texting nowadays. And I’m so guilty of that!

I used to write letters a lot to my friends in Japan when I first moved to the states 20 years ago, but now we connect mostly on Facebook. There are lots of great things about internet and social media, but handwritten notes are so much more special.

Unlike email or texts, you can actually hold the card in your hand, see their handwriting (which is my favorite part), and physically display and store them to enjoy later.

I have a shoebox full of letters and cards I got from my husband, Dave, while we were dating – we were in a long distance relationship for almost 5 years and only saw each other a couple of times a month.

Of course, we’d talk on the phone or email (neither of us had a smartphone then, so not much texting), but we also wrote and send each other cards and letters just to say hi and give each other updates about our life.

I’d get his notes in a mail at random times, and his handwriting and little smiley faces (the original emoji!) made me feel loved and warm. I felt like I could hear his voice and feel his presence more closely.

I could picture him sitting down at the small folding table in the corner of his little cabin on the farm after a long day of work still steaming from the nice hot solar shower. I could picture him writing with his black ball point pen he always carries around in his pocket and thinking of me as he wrote me a letter. He’d take the time to find cute kitty stickers to put on the envelopes because he knew I loved cats!

Anyone who’s been in a long distance relationship knows it sucks.

It was always bitter sweet when we did see each other in person because I knew the visit would end and we’d be separated again. I remember being overcome by sadness every time we said good bye, and it’d take me a few days to feel normal again.

When I was feeling sad, I’d take my “box of Dave” out of the closet and look through the cards and letters he’d sent me. Sometimes it made me cry because it was so tender and I missed him even more.

But they also gave me the strength and kept my heart warm.

It still lights me up to read those old love notes from him. It reminds me to not take our time together for granted and helps soften my heart when something he does annoys me 😀

I can carry my wallet, phone, and keys in this bag to go grocery shopping, or throw in my favorite snacks to go when I go to my pottery class.

And these coasters are a great way to use up your scraps! Easy, peasy.

(Basically, sew around two squares right sides together with 1.5″ hole, turn inside out, press and top stitch all the way around.)

Now, if I were a more skilled sewist, which you may be, I’d be making cute summer dresses, more zippered pouches, aprons, bags, table linens etc. etc. Can you imagine making anything kid-sized with these?? SO ADORABLE ❤

You can shop these fabrics in 24 different materials in my fabric shop now!

Make fun things and share your photos with me 🙂 Tag your pics on social media with #honeyberryfabric so I can see them.